which 5 speed overdrive would you recommend?

I am wanting to swap out my muncie 4-speed in my 70 Lemans Sport for a 5-speed over drive transmission. I would like the overdrive for highway cruising. What are your thoughts on the tremec or the richmond? Will they shift as smooth as the muncie? Advantages/Disadvantages or would I be wasting my time....

Thanks in advance..

 

I have a Tremec TKO 600 in a 427 Vette I have, and like it a lot. Shifts great. Tremec has the advantage of working with the rear axle you have, ie: it is a true overdrive tranny ( 5th is .65) , where a Richmond has a 1.0:1 5th, meaning your higher highway gear needs to come from the rear gear.

 

My buddy just bought a TKO600 and put it in a 69 chevelle with a 396 in front of it.... wow! it shifts awesome... he took out the muncie, and this tremec is really nice... really nice price though too!!!

He's in Broken Arrow, if you wanna talk to him, pm me.

 

Thanks.. I was wondering how the tremec shifted. Is it as positive and smooth as a munice in speed shifting? I understand that richmond has a .77 or so overdrive out now in a 5-speed.

 

The TREMEC just by design, is a much more positive shifting tranny. Comparing the external shift rods and linkages of the Muncie to the internal design of the Tremec, the Tremec is by far a much improved design. Ive raced a Super T10 in a Big Block Nova, and I drag raced a O/T Mustang 5 speed for many years. If your a purist, go with the Richmond. BDM.

 

I too have a TKO600 and just be aware that they get kind of reluctant to shift above 6000 RPM.

Also, run the numbers on your final gear ratio, tire diameter and overdrive ratio to determine what your cruise RPM will be. If you have a big cam in the engine, determine its "happy place" RPM and make sure your cruise RPMs are not too far below that number. It makes for a real herky jerky ride otherwise.

 

If you've got the money, Tremec hands down. If you're on a budget, though, there are several decent tranmissions you can find used. People get down on the T5, but I put one in an O/T '84 Vette behind a stroker motor and it was fine. Just don't power-shift it. You can get a S10 tailshaft for a more forward shifter or a Camaro tailshaft for a rearward shifter. Shift quality was good, IMO, and you can find a good T5 for under $300 and a rebuild is cheap too.

I've always found the Richmond transmissions to be real noisy. Some people actually like that depending on the car (and maybe you can't hear it over your exhaust) but to me they always sounded like a dumptruck trans.

 

Why stop at 5 speeds? Have you considered at T56 6 speed? (two overdrive gears) I love mine. It is a very versatile transmission.

Mike

 

I worked on a BB mid year Corvette that had a Tremec TKO 5-speed. I kept it for a couple weeks and put a few miles on it. It shifted very positive after I got use to hitting 3rd instead of 5th. Only problem was the car had a 3.36 rear gear and 5th was useless under 70 MPH because of the big lumpy cam the engine had. Be sure you need an overdrive before you spend the money on one. What rear gear do you have?

Here is the website for Tremec...

http://www.ttcautomotive.com/English/products/TKO.asp

 

TKO 500 or 600, without a doubt.

I have installed them in several cars including a '70 GTO convertable. Floor mods are necessary. You can get an offset shifter to pop the stick through the factory console. Best bang for your buck.

The T56 is a good trans, just a bit bulkier and needs a bell housing or adapter and the not as many shifter locations.

 

If you are not racing or speed shifting at higher RPM like a muncie. TKO anyday.

 

The TKO 500 or 600. Eight shifter locations; both mechanical and electric speedo hooks up standard; several ratio sets available. I happen to like the "road race" gear set with the .82 OD and higher 1st gear - evens out the gear steps. As mentioned already, much above 6200, or so, they won't shift well. I think the factory booklet says not to shift above 6500. But for a street car, that really isn't a big issue. The T56 is OK - but not as strong as the TKO which is rated at either 500 or 600 ft/lb of input torque.

 

FWIW, the torque of that Pontiac will easily handle a 2.73 or 3.08 chunk in the rearend and give the same net effect, if you're not racing the car that's another option to look at.

 

Thought I had put the rear end gearing in the initial post. I have 3.55 gears.

 

My '05 Mustang GT came factory equipped with a Tremec 5-speed.. It shifts better that the T-5 I have in my '91 stang with a 352ci Windsor... Both cars have the 3.55 gear set out back...